2 Dead and Others Critically Injured in Shadow Hills Crash

Two men are dead and six more were injured in a violent crash in Shadow Hills on August 12. Four of the injured were listed in critical condition after arriving at area hospitals. The other two had relatively minor injuries.

The crash occurred around 3:10 on that Friday afternoon. Two men in a Honda Civic were traveling westbound on a blind bend of La Tuna Canyon Road when their vehicle struck a Lexus moving in the opposite direction. The driver of the Honda lost control of the vehicle, hitting another Honda Civic that was also traveling westbound.

Dangerous passing a possibility

Captain Beverly Lewis, commander of the LAPD’s Valley Traffic Division, told the Los Angeles Daily News that two witnesses reported seeing a Honda and Lexus traveling on the wrong side of the road just moments before the crash. Lewis also stated that it appeared one or more of the vehicles involved in the crash was trying to pass in a two-way left-turn lane.

The two men in the first Honda were pronounced dead at the scene. They were later identified by the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner as Geghard Karami, 19, and Argisht Minasian, 31. The passengers in a second vehicle had to be rescued by two dozen firefighters that pried away the pieces of the mangled vehicles to get to the people inside.

Two men and two boys were taken to a nearby hospital, where they were listed in critical condition. All four have since been upgraded to stable. However, LAFD Battalion Chief Jaime Moore told KTLA 5, “They were traumatic, crushing injuries that they experienced. Another man was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was listed in fair condition. The sixth victim suffered minor injuries and declined hospitalization against medical advice.”

Speed and reckless driving considered

Officials investigating the crash also told KTLA 5 that they believe speed and reckless driving may have both contributed to the crash. Lewis said that while it was not clear whether speed had been a factor, this particular stretch of road had an ongoing problem of drivers exceeding the current speed limit of 50 mph.

This accident may have grabbed the attention of local media outlets due to the violent nature of the crash, but the incidence of traffic fatalities is far from a new one in Los Angeles or across the state. Last fall, an article in The Sacramento Bee noted the uptick in road deaths over the past few years. In fact, California experienced a 13-percent increase in traffic fatalities from 2010-2013 and officials expected that trend to continue. In 2014, California saw 3,074 deaths in 2,833 fatal crashes, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Legal help for accident victims

Victims of traffic accidents in California find their lives changed in a single, traumatic instant. Loss of loved ones due to crashes, combined with catastrophic injuries for some surviving victims has a profound impact on the residents of the state. If you are one of those victims, determining liability in the accident is crucial for obtaining justice.

Speak with a veteran car accident attorney at Ellis Injury Law to learn more about your rights to compensation. We help accident victims get the compensation they deserve for medical bills, lost wages, pain and emotional suffering. Contact our Los Angeles office for a free case review at 310-641-3335.